Discover the Pythagorean Theorem: Finding the Length of the Hypotenuse

Hypotenuse

The hypotenuse is a term commonly used in geometry to refer to the longest side of a right triangle (a triangle with one 90-degree angle)

The hypotenuse is a term commonly used in geometry to refer to the longest side of a right triangle (a triangle with one 90-degree angle). It is opposite the right angle and is also known as the side opposite the right angle.

The length of the hypotenuse can be found using the Pythagorean theorem, which states that the square of the length of the hypotenuse is equal to the sum of the squares of the lengths of the other two sides. The formula for the Pythagorean theorem is:

c^2 = a^2 + b^2

Where c represents the length of the hypotenuse, and a and b represent the lengths of the other two sides of the right triangle.

To find the hypotenuse, you would typically have the lengths of the other two sides, and you can simply plug those values into the Pythagorean theorem formula and solve for c.

For example, let’s say you have a right triangle with side lengths of 3 units and 4 units. To find the length of the hypotenuse, you would use the Pythagorean theorem:

c^2 = 3^2 + 4^2
c^2 = 9 + 16
c^2 = 25

To find the value of c, you would take the square root of both sides:

c = √25
c = 5

Therefore, the length of the hypotenuse in this example is 5 units.

It is important to note that the hypotenuse is always the longest side in a right triangle because the sum of the squares of the lengths of the other two sides will always be less than the square of the hypotenuse.

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